Bittersweet
by choclatcovrdcherries
Summary: It was about them, all of them. As she flipped through page after page, act after act, she grew more & more horrified. Their own lives had sprung from a ready made script. Their words, their actions, their blood, sweat, & tears. ALTERNATE UNIVERSE
1. Intro

****Skip Intro, if so desired, go to next chapter****

Okay, so an introduction

I'm kinda bending the rules a bit and posting my own story.

Before I get my head bitten off, Rue is present in the story. As is Fakir, Mytho & Duck.

They just have different names & there are about 15 new characters, I know, wtf.

Reference Guide

Tony Fakir- Fakir

Rue Kraehe- Rue

Siegfried Mytho- Mytho

Mr. Callahan- Mr. Cat

Maya Ahiru- Duck (Ahiru)

Reason for name changes? The story is an original, except i had a weakness for Princess Tutu, so i, uh, kinda

made the story about them, sort of.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

She had been watching him for nearly an hour now, curiously, out of the corner of her eye. With every person she served, with every Red Bull & Vodka she mixed & every tip she received,

she felt her gaze being drawn inexplicably to the musing figure at the edge of the bar counter. It was interesting, he was interesting. Despite the mass of moving, grinding bodies behind

him, despite the noise and the commotion, the loud music and the screaming crowds, he seemed quite untouched.

Chin cupped in hand, he was thinking about something, something, anything…..

And no, he wasn't just another bar side brooder thinking about suicide; his eyes were bright, his brow furrowed, his movements clear & alert. Fierce energy radiated from every muscle.

The bartender tucked a strand of long, caramel hair behind her ear, lowering her hazel eyes to the countertop. She felt an unexplainable urge to talk to this man. Just what would she say? She tapped the counter, trying to think, of something, something……anything.

" One Rum & Coke, please"

She was startled out of her musings.

"Sure"

Taking a glass from the row of sparkling ones behind her, she flashed a grin at the man before her. He was tall, of muscular build, & had broad shoulders. He returned her smile with a

smirk…and, beneath his rumpled, dark, curling hair, his blue eyes crinkled.

'Not too shabby,' she thought, 'not too shabby at all.'

She handed him his drink, he handed her a tip, & he strolled away to meet his sweetheart. The bartender quickly huffed a stray strand of hair away.

As a rule, bartenders were allowed to flirt; it encouraged customers to call again, and it kept the workers from being driven mad with boredom. But it sucked when a good-looking guy like

that had a girlfriend, or whatever. She looked at handsome tip in her hand. The girl pondered the reason why, why do guys in a relationship leave higher tips than say, those who aren't in one?

'Wonder why ……'

" Could I have one of those ?"

Once again, she was startled from her thinking. She glanced to the edge of the bar, where the voice came from, quietly. The muser was contemplating her, head propped up on a fist, his

finger idly stroking the side of an empty glass.

She blushed, thankful that her caramel skin camouflaged the redness.

"Sure,"

She whisked away his glass and returned with a clean one, pouring the beautifully amber liquor, mixing it with some Coke, & marveling at the pretty little tinkle the ice made.

She smiled gently at the man, offering the glass.

" Here you go"

He accepted it with a nod, and she began polishing the glasses.

" Sooo," She started casually, looking down at the task in her hands, " how's Life?"

"Life?" He said, mildly surprised, " life is….Okay."

A wry chuckle escaped his lips.

" Okay?…as in not okay at all?"

He laughed, focusing on the mirror behind her, watching the people dancing, having 'fun'. He closed his eyes, applying slight pressure to the bridge of his nose.

" Exactly"

" Hmph," she huffed, finishing one glass, & starting another, " How is life not treating you well? You're healthy, seemingly sane, and have your whole life in front of you. You can't be possibly older than what? 30? 29?"

About to take a sip of his amber drink, the guy paused, lowering his glass slightly.

He raised an eyebrow, glancing in her direction.

" 28, and…" he began with a hint of scorn," I'm about to start a new job, my girlfriend hates me, my student loans have increased interest rates by about 5-10%, I've been living on cheap

ramen noodles for the past 2 years, my salary is not that great, thus the cheap ramen noodles, and everyone's bugging me to save money in order to buy a house because apparently

that's 'what grown up people do' quote, unquote. Oh, and, nice global recession we're having, right?"

The bartender's eyes widened in surprise, and there was a moment of awkward silence. The silence was broken when she suddenly giggled. And the man looked at her again.

She quickly covered her mouth, " Sorry about that,"

He closed his eyes again, " About what? My troubles? Or you laughing at my troubles?"

"Neither"

His eyes opened and widened. Quizzical surprise portrayed in a raised eyebrow.

" Both," she amended," would you like to talk about it?"

The eyebrow stayed put…

It was her turn to press her fingers to the bridge of her nose, and she did, sighing..

"See, " she explained patiently, " A bartender is like , well, _is_ a stand-in therapist, a friend, a temporary guidance counselor, and a confidante, even if it is just for one perhaps _drunken_ night. Do you get it?"

" Yeah," he sighed, He did.

And so he took her up on her offer, he talked. He talked about his troubles, the world's troubles, his life, life in general. He talked with a revolutionary's passion. He talked about what he

would change if he had the power of a world leader. He lamented this lack of power with a playfully regretful sigh, and his expression was wistful. He had fresh ideas, smart ideas for a

bright, clean world, and he told anecdotes from his childhood with droll amusement at his younger self.

The bartender laughed here, inserted an intelligent comment there. For the most part though, he talked, & she listened.

She listened, and watched him as well. She noticed the gentle curve of his lips, and the excited way he moved his arms. She noticed his graceful, hands, & how he painted the things he

said with movements of them. She watched his eyes light up as he talked of what he did & where he went and what he'd read, and who he admired. She watched him as he painted her a picture of what the world could be like, if only we'd learn from the past, and look toward the future.

She sighed quietly, and he heard….

He stopped, sighing quietly as well, letting his hands drop, glancing at his watch.

"Well," he said, "I'm late."

He zipped up his coat, and tilted his glass to his lips, catching the very last drops of precious amber fluid.

"Thankyou," he said….

And then he left…….

She smiled gently at his retreating figure

And stood there, pondering the handsome tip he left her…..

*****************************

It was a mellow night in the city of Doux-Amer, & the cool, crisp air was laced with the scent of apple blossoms. Tony Fakir had just arrived at _The Hendo 54, _a throbbing nightclub at the

heart of the city's pleasure district. He breathed the air in deeply, and exhaled with a faint laugh. He watched with amusement the masses of so-called party animals trying to bribe the bouncers at _The Hendo's _doors.

'Idiots' He said with a smirk

Referring to some guys throwing cash at the big guys guarding the entrance.

Other people were more lucky,

'Or just better connected,'

Those people were the ones driving up in their cherry red Malibu sports car, or come swaggering though the crowds in golden dresses & diamond rings. The Hendo wasn't just any nightclub, it was _THE _nightclub, where anybody who was anybody showed up at least once a week. People came dressed in their finest party clothes; silver & gold dresses, skin-tight clothing, designer things no one could really afford.

Tony stepped out of _his _cherry red Malibu sports car, impatiently waving off the chauffeur that had arrived.

"I'm not going in _there_," He scoffed, " I have better things to do."

And he did.

He leaned against his car, arms crossed, staring up at the stars.

What a weird city. Here, right now, where he was standing, was a throbbing metropolis. Dance clubs, bars, theaters, recital halls, nightclubs, coffee shops, boutiques, high-end

businesses, malls, banks, anything and everything a city would have needed to survive, no, _thrive_. The traffic sometimes could just drive you insane. Yet, directly outside the city lay

mountains and valleys, rivers and lakes. There were fruit orchards; And, if you strayed outside the city's limits you'd find that you could stroll through an apple orchard or have a picnic on a

riverside. The air around him was mysteriously sweet & natural, not smoggy. He secretly reveled in it.

Tony Fakir started from his position. A lady had emerged from an out-of-the-way exit to _The Hendo_. She had long, caramel hair and a strand of milky pearls around her neck. Her dress was

the sweet green of a bud or the skin of a Granny Smith apple. It was in the mid-thigh Strenesse style, with simple gold trim around the waist and cream-colored tulle peeking out from the

bottom. The 16 yr. old boy smirked, and led the girl around the side of the car, opening her door as a true gentleman should. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling ruefully.

He grinned at her, before entering the car himself, revving up the engine and driving off away from _The Hendo 54_, the only place where anybody who was anybody would be……

************************

They drove in silence for a while. The girl was gazing out the window, watching the world go by. She was thinking. Thinking of a gentle smile & graceful hands.

' _What am I doing?_ ' , She closed her eyes, '_ I won't ever see him again.._'

She let out a short, abrupt laugh.

Tony Fakir glanced at her through the mirror," Where's the joke?"

She gave him an oblique look, " No joke, are you nervous?"

He grinned at her," Yeah. Well….not really."

She raised her eyebrows, "Hm, not really, huh? Are you sure? After all, this is a sort of entrance exam to the most prestigious performing arts academy in the world. Full scholarship nonetheless! "

Tony laughed, " Okay, _Now _I'm nervous. Anyway, _Miss Casella Magdalene, _who is the person I' m picking up instead of being at the rehearsal-slash-warm-up?"

"Hmph," Casella, Ella said, "Pray tell, _Mr. Tony Fakir, _whose cherry red Malibu is it that transports you to & from the said rehearsals-slash-warm-ups?"

Tony sighed, " Fine,"

The girl smiled, "You're ready, though, right?"

" Yeah"

"And Rue?"

The dark-haired, hazel-eyed boy clenched the wheel. His expression became stony & cold.

"Yeah"

************** (_Chapter two in Lust_)

A raven-haired, wine-eyed beauty was looking into a golden-gilt edged mirror. She heard the faint strain of music float from the stage, & tilted her head to the side, knowing it would soon

be her time to emerge from the dressing room and dance. She sighed, gazing coldly at her reflection with half-lidded eyes. The stage makeup gaudied up her appearance like nothing else.

Her face was painted thick & colorful as not to lose sight of it 'neath the blinding bright stage lights. Her pale lips were done in the deepest crimson, her eyes in the darkest black. Her hair

was done up in a graceful sweep with plumes of elongated raven feathers and curled extensions. She was dressed in a fitted corset of black chiffon & lace, with a cut that showed off the sensual curves of her plump, alabaster shoulders. Her tutu was stiff, with flounces of red tulle edged in gold. She looked, quite frankly, _evil. _

Rue issued a short, rough, bark of a laugh & felt bitter.

How Ironic.

'I don't want to be here, not now, not like this, not with him"

_Him,_ The underlying cause of nearly all her life's troubles. The single person standing in the way of her single goal, desire, obsession. The person with whom she would be competing with

to get a scholarship she so desperately needed, for a career she so desperately wanted, to get away from a life she so desperately hated, to be with a person she so desperately had to have.

And to get all of that, Rue Kraehe would have to compete against Tony Fakir, She would have to be a monster raven against his godly prince.

_Godly Prince, "_Godly prince my ass, God damn that man."

"Surely you're not talking about me, hm?"

Rue abruptly turned, whipping her head around….glaring at the familiar cold smirk, & the colder eyes assessing her.

"Well speak of the devil.."

"And the devil shall appear, _Thankyou"_

A sinewy, tanned teenage boy leaned against the dressing room doorway, with crossed arms. He was the prince, or, at least he _played _the prince.

The Prince! Was there not a most perfect man to play that part? But he's not here…..was he…..no.

Even if Tony was not the prince, the boy was certainly dressed for the part.

He was dressed in the purest white dress shirt, cuffed at the wrists in gold. The vest that enveloped his torso was the deepest black, embroidered in gold thread. Upon his head was a simple gold circlet.

The music outside was fading, signaling the end of one scene & the beginning of another,

Rue stood up, looking at the guy with utter contempt, and pursed her red lips.

"I hate you"

Tony straightened up, adjusted his collar, & bit his lip.

"Likewise,"

He stood aside to let the ballerina pass him, but she paused. Rue faced him, leaning in. The boy took an unconscious step back. She smirked

" Yes, but….Among our audience tonight are representatives from Julliard, So…be seduced by me"

He swallowed.

**************(_End Chapter two in Lust_)

16 year old Casella, Ella, Magdalene wandered up the marble steps of Doux-Amer's oldest & most famous recital hall, _Le Danseuse ._

How rude was it of Tony to just turn the engine off & run out of the car, leaving her. Sigh, he _did_ have more important things to do. Anyway, she could finally claim her car back.

People were beginning to gather.]]

It was an exceptional night for the recital hall. The Doux-Amer Academy of the Performing Arts were presenting a special performance. The city's own greatest acting prodigies were

performing their rendition of "Now & Forever", a dark tale of a Prince & a Monster Raven.

Ella laughed. She sounded exactly like an advertisement she heard earlier in the day. The slim girl slipped her hand in her purse, taking out a note. It was the crimson ticket for tonight's

performance. She sighed, & handed the ticket to the ticket master. He marked it & tipped his hat.

"Have a good evening Miss Magdalene"

She smiled, " Thankyou Mr. Bailey. Have a good evening as well."

She entered the Hall's doors, listening to the faint strain of music, looking at the gently flickering candle lights in the main corridor, & just soaking in the calm atmosphere. She knew that in

the dressing rooms, everything was not calm. Dancers & actors were flinging clothes everywhere, Valuable and expensive costumes being thrown to the floor in a hurry to change in 30

seconds. People were cramming, saying their lines for the 4000th time.

At least she didn't have to worry about that…she was here to relax.

"Ella!"

She turned, watching a tall, lean boy come walking up the marble steps with a bouquet of crimson roses. Her hazel eyes softened, & she laughed.

"Roku!" Roku Kaiba, of Kaiba Inc., a powerful corporate organization in the Wall Street way of the world, one of the few untouched by the recent downturn.

Blue-eyed, cinnamon-haired, 16 1/2 yr. old Roku handed Ella the bouquet of roses, she breathed in deeply.

"They smell wonderful, for Rue, right?"

He blushed, "Yeah"

She smiled, whispering," How cute"

'Rue doesn't deserve him'

Her smile faded…..

They stood in silence for a while, letting the crowd of guests pass them by. Roku, hands in pockets, looked around, reading the posters advertising performances long past. He observed

Ella's musing mood,& gently took her hand. She glanced up, her expression still a bit preoccupied. "Hm?"

"Shall we go in?"

"Oh!…yes"

They walked down the hallway, & entered the dark theatre.

*****

It was indeed dark, & the opening performance was drawing to a close, the main attraction would be up in just a few moments. The musicians were tuning up their instruments, the actors were warming up.

Roku & Ella took their seats in the best row, perfect. They were students of the same academy as the actors/dancers, & they had often helped the troupe rehearse. The lights darkened, a deep voice was introducing the play.

"Tonight is a special night for Le Danseuse, The great tragedy 'Now & Forever' is being performed by the celebrated entertaining prodigies of The Doux-Amer Academy of the Performing

Arts. It is a story of great sorrow & passion, great sacrifices & terrible desire. Now, please take your seats & settle back for a wonderful night!" The two friends settled in their seats, and a violin began to weep….

She was thinking of him again, the 28 year old muser. his voice in her head. What was it about him, that stayed in her mind, his words on her skin. Just a few drinks, a few glances, a few words…& he had completely…….Sigh. She wasn't only thinking of him though, oh no.

She was thinking of Tony, & Rue, & of course Roku. Roku loved Rue, with as much love as any 16 year old boy could have for anyone. She didn't love him back. Rue hated Tony, with as much hate as any 16 year old girl could have for anyone. Casella never knew why. As for Tony….

"Oh dear"

Roku, captivated by what was happening on stage just threw her a quizzical glance.

"What?"

"Did Tony take his medicine?"

"Of course!"

"Are you sure?"

Roku looked uncertain, "No-o-o, but why wouldn't he?"

"He forgets,"

"Right"

Ella sighed, " I'm sure he's fine"

"Well, let's find out"

****************(_Chapter three in Lust_)

_There once was a prince. He was heir to a country really quite far from here._

_In a time really quite long ago._

_He was hunting one day, in the enchanted woods far from the castle._

_& stumbled upon a beautiful woman bathing in a pristine pool._

_"twas love at first sight._

_Unbeknownst to him, the lady was a demon._

_A raven demon, sent by the devil to seduce and destroy._

_They shared plights of romantic lust._

A pair of thoughtful blue eyes were watching the dancing, acting pair curiously, wondering, merely wondering….How on earth could two people who hated each other like Rue & Tony hated each other, How could they perform together so, so easily? With so much composure, so convincingly? To look at the two, the gentle smiles, the light blushes, the sensual dances performed to perfection….Where was the hate?

_The prince loved this demon. loved her truly._

_Portraying this, their lips would meet quite frequently_

_His lips crashing most fervently _(most unwillingly) _into her lush red ones._

_he soon became the King._

_She soon became the Queen._

_All was well._

_Until months passed, and the King began behaving strangely._

_He became cruel, A Tyrant!_

_The starving of villagers, the beheading of children!_

_All the work of the Queen._

_She had cast a spell on the King._

_Her control was absolute._

_Not really._

_One night The King had finally found the willpower to break the spell._

_He had to kill the demon to truly be free_

Finally! The play would be over soon.

Tony took a deep breath.

This must've been the hardest thing he had ever done....

Dancing with her.....chasing her...looking at her......clasping her to him.....drawing her in.....KISSING HER

All those stupidly passionate pas de duex that the naive prince danced with the demon raven..

ARGH!

What a stupid prince (crowned king)....

He didn't even have a knight to protect him.

_He had to kill the demon to truly be free_

'True...True' he mused

_HE HAD TO KILL THE DEMON TO TRULY BE FREE_

Oh, yeah. Tony had a play to finish.

_The 'king' stepped back onto the stage, clutching a silver dagger._

_The 'demon raven' was resting on an elegantly draped futon, center stage._

_He advanced, slowly, slowly....._

_The halting music number adding suspense._

_The single stage light zeroed in on the 'king'_

_He stalked up beside the apparently sleeping demon._

_He slowly raised his weapon.._

_The dagger gleaming in the spotlight..._

_Waiting to be thrust into the creamy skin of the sleeping Raven..._

_The audience collectively swallowed.._

_The king was bracing himself...._

_He plunged._

_Burgundy eyes flashed open_

_Oh dear!_

_A white hand gripped his wrist, crimson nails digging in_

_The audience gasped_

_The king jumped backwards._

_The Demon Raven leapt forward, dagger in her hand_

_The king drew his sword_

_The Raven's previously concealed wings unfurled._

_Rue advanced._

_Tony drew back._

_One step forward, one step back._

_The Raven stepped forward, Tony ste- _crap.

_The king had hit a wall._

_Tony gulped._

_Rue smirked._

_The king began hyperventilating._

_The audience cringed._

_He looked wildly around, knowing, that without a doubt, she will run him through._

_run him through..._

_' The sword! The Sword!'_

_Members of the audience silently screamed_

_The sword, The Sword!_

_Members of the audience outwardly shouted_

_Tony had flung himself at the raven, sword drawn...._

_Rue had thrown her arms up, backing away...._

_The violin shrieked_

_A horde of ravens invaded the castle walls._

_They flew and they cawed, sent by the Devil, summoned by the Demon_

_Just as the sword's tip was about to pierce her skin,_

_The ravens flooded horridly in._

_They gripped the King in their claws._

_The sword falling uselessly to the floor._

_The Demon Raven smirked....Her dagger drawn_

_The King, head bowed, before her hung._

_She tilted his head up towards hers..._

_And gave him the final kiss._

_Her blood red lips crashing into his mouth_

_her pointed dagger plunging into his heart.._

_The villagers screams will ring_

_Now, now and forever._

_The curtains draw to a close_

_The audience rise and applaud_

'Bravo!'

_**************************************************(End Chapter)  
_


	3. Chapter 2

Management,

James Birdsong, you're quickly becoming a favorite person.. (:

So how was it? Is it fanfictiony enough? For those of you who are reading_ Lust_ i've decided to tell you when a chapter from _Lust _is coming up in _Bittersweet_, so you can skip it if you want.

For you new readers, ignore the italics in parenthesis.. :)

* * *

**_Chapter Two_**

(_Chapter four in Lust_)  
The aubergine curtains rose up again.

The cast & crew of Now and Forever were exhilarated, proud of their performance.

Two by two they bowed, each pair of dancers/actors receiving louder and louder applause.

It was the Raven demon and the King's turn to be spotlighted, they stepped forward side-by-side.

It was expected, that the prima ballerina & the premier danseur be exuberant and proud together.

Together

They grasped hands, waving at the crowd. The applause grew louder.

Tony grinned through clenched teeth, gripping the cold white hand in his.  
'It's almost over...'

Garnet eyes darted to his face, a small smirk growing crueler by the second.....

The curtain finally drew close again, giving the actors the long-needed chance to quit smiling.

The king and the raven quickly unclasped hands, each going their separate ways, Rue- to change , and Tony- God knows where.

Rue was drifting towards her dressing room, humming a snatch of some sweet melody and thinking of those golden, heart-breakingly empty eyes.

"Rue!"  
She turned, lazily glancing at the thin girl in front of her.

" Yes..?".

The girl coughed nervously, " Mr. Callahan wants to see you," she lowered her voice conspiratorially, " He's with our special guests, and they're very pleased."

The smirk was back, Rue raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow, " Is that so? Hmph! I'll be right there." She turned towards the receiving room .

"Um, Rue?"  
She twitched, and turned back to the girl, " Yes? "

" Can you also give Tony the message? They want to see him too..."  
Rue balked at that, "Wha- sure."

Regaining her composure, she turned again- and began walking briskly towards a discreet theater exit.

She knew who these special visitors were, and why they were so pleased.

There was an opening at the most famous dancing academy in the western world....Julliard.

Not only an opening, but a scholarship! Bed, board, books. All paid in full and ready to go.

Of course, solely for the most talented and promising young dancer from abroad....

So it really was no surprise that Rue was being called upon.

It was only to be expected

And yet..........................

" Why the Hell would they want to see me & Tony, isn't the scholarship for just one person?!

She flung the door of the discreet theater exit open and stomped outside. She grabbed the arm of a retreating Tony,

Who, having put on his coat, wanted to see if he could bribe Ella Magdalene into letting him borrow her car for another few days. (or years…it was a really nice car!)

" What the-"

She grabbed him and stalked back inside.

" Shut up.''

He violently snatched his arm out of her grasp.

"Rue, What the Hell !" shouted Tony quite loudly.

The other dancers, still in various states of dress and undress, were turning to gawk.

She smiled sweetly, hissing through her teeth, " People are beginning to stare. Just shut up, and follow me."

"Rue.." He warned quietly

"Julliard" She whispered, grasping his wrist, and pulling him toward the receiving room.

He allowed himself to be led this time, "Julliard!" He wondered.

"Yes," She threw him a disparaging glance, "Julliard".

(_End Chapter four_)

*************************************  
The dark purple curtains have been closed for some time, and still the theatre room rang with echoes of applause. Both Roku & Ella were proud as punch of the dancers…..

Roku stopped clapping abruptly, and scrambled toward the nearest exit.

"W-What?" Ella trotted after him…..

Having reached the backstage entrance, and further on, the girl's dressing room, Roku slowed to a halt. He smoothed back his hair and regained his composure. The roses were up

and ready behind his back.

He knocked the door.

A petite blonde opened the door, saw him, & blushed.

He smiled gently, " Is Rue there?"

"Oh yeah- there she is" she pointed elsewhere

His eyes followed her gesture, and his feet ran to Rue, who was emerging from another door….

"Rue!" he breathed

"Roku!" she looked preoccupied…

"You were wonderful, I brought these for you.."

"yeahh, thanks. Um, Roku, not now, I'm kinda busy.."

"Oh…"

She emerged fully from the door, Tony's hand in hers, and headed toward another place…..

Roku's smile faltered…

His hands grew limp,

And the roses fell to the floor…..

************(_Chapter Five in Lust)_  
Rue knocked on the golden edged door of the Recital Hall's receiving room.

"Come in" a voice called from within.

She opened the door, & stepped in alongside Tony.

Two men and a woman rose from the plush chairs they were seated upon.

Mr. Callahan spread out his arms, as if to embrace them both ,and ushered them to the two standing persons.

"Ah Rue, the lovely Rue. And Tony, here are the stars of tonight's show, yes, here they are!"

Rue smiled a sweet smile and dropped a curtsy. Tony waved.

The woman moved forward, extending her hand to each.

"Well, the first thing I would like to say is that you both did a marvelous job. Splendid!",

She shook hands with them," I am Ms. Caruso, & one of the representatives from Julliard."

"And I am Mr. Holloway, also from Julliard, pleased to meet you both."

"Pleased to meet you.." Rue & Tony said quietly,

"You two know about the scholarship we are having for our school I presume, right?"

They nodded,

"Well, we had such a-a- "

"Deluge of both appliqués & talent that-"

"So hard to choose, so-"

"We are having a sort of callback-"

"Not really callback, a sort of competition, between all the final contestants. Would that be the right word-"

Mr. Callahan cut in," I'm sorry, but I speak for the three of us when I ask…why tell us this again?"

The representatives looked at each other in surprise," Oh!"

"Well, we've chosen you, both of you, as our pick for this school."

Tony balked, "Both-"

Rue took a step forward, "For this school?"

"Well, yes. Like we were saying before.'

"Such talent!"

"So many!"

"So hard"

"To choose from without comparing-"

"And it won't do anything for the nerves if you are by yourself,"

"So-o-o"

"We at Julliard would love to have a couple from each of the schools that had applied with the most promise, to compete against each other ."

"Okay?"

Tony & Rue were shocked, Mr. Callahan spoke for both of them

"Excellent, Thankyou. "

The two quickly regained their composure,

"Thankyou for considering me."

"Thankyou ever so much."

Everyone shook hands & wished everyone else a good night.

The representatives left, escorted by the stage director.

Mr. Callahan slowly closed the door.

"Well, whaddya know"

His two most promising performers sank slowly into the plush chairs.

"And I thought it was going to be easy…"

*****************(_End Chapter five)  
_

"Roku?"

"Ella, I'm fine, it's nothing."

"Of course it's nothing, there's a perfectly good explanation for this. Besides, They hate each other's guts, remember the past 5 years?"

Roku took a deep breath, & smiled shakily, "Yeah, I just overreacted. I had a special night planned for her…Tonight would've made 3 years that we've been.."

Ella took his hand, "Yeah, I know."

Ella Magdalene was just about to embrace Roku when….

An ungracious whooping noise broke the silence.

Tony was running down the long flight of marble steps & leaping off the last five remaining ones. He ran over to Ella & lifted her by the waist, spinning her around & smacking a resounding

kiss on her cheek. He shook Roku's hand furiously & flopped to the ground-the middle of the street, really.

"Uh.."

"Ella, I made it! Into Julliard"

Both Roku & Ella perked up, " Really? Congra-"

"Not necessarily," Rue was slowly making her way down the steps, looking down at Tony coolly.

Tony's upper lip curled as he glared at her.

Rue smirked, "First of all, We made it in to Julliard. Second of all, we didn't really make it into Julliard, just the final -shall we say- round. Which is really kind of stupid."

Roku turned his head to the side, waiting for his girlfriend to acknowledge him, just waiting…..

Rue's wine-colored eyes widened, "Roku!"

Roku turned his clear-eyed blue gaze on her, looking, just looking…..

She felt such a bang of guilt, "Dear, I-I, you know & I'm sor-"

"Don't worry about it," he ran a hand through his tousled bronze hair….'It's nothing"

Ella pursed her lips at that, & exchanged a wry glance with Tony

'Bull crap'

***********

The girl was a having a restless night. She tossed & turned, mussing up the bed sheets, glancing at the quiet luminescent numbers of her quiet all-knowing digital clock.

12:45 am  
1:36 am  
1:54 am  
2:15 am  
2: 33 in the godforsaken morning….

Casella moaned, hugging her pillow close to her. In about 3 hours she would have to wake up. …Wake up and start another year at The Doux-Amer Academy (of just about everything) .

And she couldn't, just couldn't….

She was sick of school, sick of gossip & rumors & twits & cheaters & liars & working at the Hendo & meeting wonderful people with whom I'll never ever see again….what?

Ella bolted straight up, just to sink back down again, thinking of him.

Thinking of who? Just who exactly? Who?

A man, yeah.

An older man, a stranger almost twice her age…..

A person she never met before, and most likely will never meet again.

So why think of him?

And it was just thought. No feeling accompanied thought, just a dull pang..

Pang?

Why?

Speaking of pang, it panged her heart to see Roku give himself so willingly, so carelessly, up to Rue. His heart was hers, Rue's, & she didn't deserve an inch of it. She was cold, and cruel,

and seductive….One look of her burgundy eyes, & a man was done for. Even teachers…

Nobody really deserved Roku, really. He was gentle & kind, with the clearest gaze of anyone, ever.

He bought ice cream for children, played with them. His tousled hair was the color of molten bronze, that shone with red in the sunlight, and fell over his eyes when he bowed his head. He

was wonderful, a 16 year old genius that made his father's business corporation great.

And Casella loved him, loved him like blood.

She held affection for Tony too. Tony, the wiry, hazel-eyed, copper-skinned tease with a trademark smirk. He was an enigma, prone to (violent?) mood swings, & he played with knives. He

hated Rue with the same intensity that Roku loved her, yet…

They had all left the theatre around 11:45, going their separate ways…Ella & Tony going home, Rue & Roku off to make do with what was left of the night. Ella had congratulated Tony on

his accomplishment,

& he replied with scorn,

"Accomplishment? She's by my side, as always. Not a good thing, no. But is it such a bad thing?"

He wouldn't explain what he meant by it, & they said no more on the matter…

BEEP BEEP BEEP…

Shit.

******

* * *

Okay, I know Tony ( Fakir) is really OOC, & i apologize, not really...In my mind, Fakir has always been uh....yeah.

* * *


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter three

Late, late I am so late

BEEP, BEEP!

The traffic was bad, really bad.

BEEEEEEP!

Casella hit the horn in a hissy fit…

I'm late, I'm tired, I'm completely & utterly running on a half hour of sleep…

I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS

BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEP

The traffic was moving…slowly…..inch by inch by painstaking inch

People cursing, horns beeping,

Ella hit her head on the steering wheel

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

'ow'

She laid there, in that position for a while…head on steering wheel

Sigh….do I have to go to school?

Deep breaths, Deep……breaths……..

Casella Magdalene was asleep………

BEEP

"Oh god.."

This will be the death of me….

She drove on

************  
Ella hurried up the stairs of the Doux-Amer Academy, her cinnamon hair flowing in soft waves behind her

Surprisingly, she was not late.

There were many students still milling around, some talking, others adjusting their crimson & gold uniforms. Ella slowed to a halt, checking her student map…Five years in this (6-12)

Academy, and still she did not know it, just too big.

The Doux-Amer Academy (Of Fine Arts, Science, Math, etc.) was a sort of preparatory school, aimed at sixth through twelfth graders, of rich families, of gifted families, of hard-working

families.

It gave opportunities to teens like Rue, or Tony, whose families couldn't afford to put them through any kind of higher education programs, like college, (or Julliard). They who were so,

so…gifted.

The school regularly churned out the best & the brightest talent in everything, from dance to engineering, & those kids (rich, poor) go on to receive scholarships to the best schools in

the world.  
Ella had arrived at West Wing Room #176, and she hesitantly stepped inside. Students in crimson jackets & (either) pleated skirts or khaki pants paused, glanced at her, & resumed

whatever they were doing. She sighed, recognizing many faces, faces she would've preferred not to have recognized.

There was lanky, skater-boy, Steven Bell, flippy hair & all.

And there's Adelie, the turquoise-eyed French beauty that Roku's brother had a crush on.

Crystal Diamonte, Adelie's best friend, wrote a quick note, handing it to Adelie, who giggled…

There was voluptuous Lily Curimoto & her statuesque friend, Nicole.

An awkward-looking beanpole of a boy, Freddy was chewing on a Twizzler.

Ella tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, coolly looking for an empty seat.

Alanna Bixen, the U.S's most beloved teen idol, was assessing her, most likely forgetting that Ella knew her, knew everything about her, everything she does, & nothing would change

the fact that Ella would not be acquainted with her for the world.

Matt, Roku's half-brother, waved cheerfully at her. Eddie, chocolate-skinned Eddie Catania, was watching her as well, remembering her, from somewhere. He whispered something to a

pony-tailed boy, Max. Max eyed her with wolfish, ice-blue eyes, & smirked.

Ella was getting uncomfortable, most of these people she knew, most of them she didn't really like. She tolerated them, but she certainly wasn't friends with them.

She demurred in her seat, flipping through her notebook, looking for, or pretending to look for something, anything. The door opened again, & she looked up.

There came walking in Rue & Roku, as well as Tony Fakir. Behind them trailed two tall, almost identical teens, with ice-blue eyes & white-blond hair. They were Belinda & Jake Sargon,

twins of Spain's Prime Minister.

A petite girl slipped in the door just as it was about to close, blue-eyed, red-haired, Maya Ahiru.

Ella breathed a sigh of relief…

She waved to Maya, who was her best friend. Tony & Roku were heading towards her seat,

'Please don't come over here, ple-'

Crap.

They were coming over here.

As much as she loved those two boys, she really did not want them getting anywhere near her, she had been in this place long enough & she knew exactly what was going to happen

next. Roku & Tony were the main heartthrobs of the school, the guys with a lot of 'fan girls', per se. And, whoever has the girls, has the crowds. Max stood up from the desk he was

leaning on, Eddie did as well. Matt followed them, them who were heading toward Roku & Tony, and therefore heading towards Ella. Jake was among them too, and wherever he went,

Belinda was not close behind. Alanna was there as well, for two reasons. One was to say hi to Belinda, her supposed best friend; another, the real reason, was to flirt with Tony,,,,,,

Five minutes later, the class was a condensed group centered around...Ella.

"Hey Ella," Tony tapped her shoulder cheerfully, "Long time no see"

Ella did not raise her head from the crooks of her arms, where she was trying to hide from the rest of the world.

"No kidding," she muttered sarcastically," Yesterday night was eons ago"

Alanna perked her ears at the words, she crossed her legs & batted her eyelashes in a flirty manner,

"Oh Tony, you were wonderful yesterday…"

He raised an eyebrow at her, "I know"

Eddie , who was to Tony's right, punched the air, " Now I know where this girl is from."

'He means me, right?' Ella sighed, and picked her head up, "Yes?"

Eddie grinned at her, "Are you Roku's sister? Or Tony's? You're Casella, right? They always mention you…."

She glared at the two 'brothers' of hers, "Mention me, oh really?"

Max piped in, "Noting bad, it's just that…They don't have sisters & they talk about you an awful lot, especially Tony, and we were wondering if…"

"Oh no," Ella considered Tony, who cocked both eyebrows at her," I think he may be my distant cousin, twice removed. Besides, he only hangs around me because he loves my car and

aims to steal it."

Tony grinned cheekily at her, " I'm not denying it."

She sighed, & the bell rang…..

******

The bell rang and the students scurried to any available seat. The teacher, who was on the computer all this time, looked up, apparently surprised to see a bunch of 16/17 year olds

stare at her.

"School time already?"

The class looked at her in blank disbelief

"Just kidding"

The only sound was of a pen dropping

Ms. Louise chuckled nervously, " I was kidding, kidding. Anyway…how was summer break? Were those 70-something days wonderful?"

Her homeroom class still stared….

Casella tilted her head, 'Is she high?'

"Oh my god, I need another cup of coffee"

She headed toward her own personal coffeemaker, filling a mug with good, strong, black coffee and chugging it down. The class watched her, thinking…great, we get the 50 year old

crazy….  
She regained her composure and returned to the front of the class. "Well, I shall take attendance now"

Alanna Bixen rolled her sapphire eyes, and exchanged a look with Belinda….

"Maya Ahiru?"  
"Steven Bell?"  
"Alanna Bixen?"  
"Eddy Catania?"  
"Freddy Crueger?"  
"Lily Curimoto?"  
"Crystal Diamonte?"  
"Tony Fakir?"  
"Rue Kraehe?"  
"Matt Kaiba?"  
"Roku Kaiba, brothers, right?"  
"Max Koronue?"  
"Casella Magdalene?"  
"Nicole Memoiur?"  
"Adelie Rionte?"  
"Belinda Sargon?"  
"Jake Sargon?"

"Well, that's everyone"

The door burst open, and two teenage girls stood awkwardly in the doorway,

"Sorry we're late,"

Ms. Louise turned back to the class,

"Maybe not"

The class looked at her through lidded eyes…….

Casella looked back to examine the newcomers. One was tall and slim, inky black hair cascading down her back in very loose waves & she had vibrant green eyes, like a cat. The other girl

was shorter, with a curvaceous body and hair like spun gold. The boys' eyes widened, the girls' eyes narrowed. Ella rolled her eyes, sighing….

"Um," The green-eyed girl began, "We got lost on the way to the main office……"

"…..And this classroom. The school is huge, " The other girl added,

"Anyway, My name is Rose Minamino, and this is Lilyanna De la Camera, and we're new students…"

'Well, of course," the teacher muttered absently, "Of course you're new students. Have a seat"

The two girls sank down into empty seats while the teacher added their names to the system…

The class was finally settled in, with assigned seats when the announcements went on. They were boring, welcoming the students back, greeting new students, announcing the return

date for medical forms and extracurricular forms, and other forms…blah,blah,blah. Boring, boring, boring. Casella couldn't have bothered listening to them for the world. Suddenly a cool,

clear, crisp female voice spoke,

"Good morning students. This is your headmistress speaking. I would love to bring well-deserved attention to the spectacular performance done yesterday by our very own prodigies in

the dance, acting, and performing arts. We raised nearly over 3,000 euros; over half of which will be donated to a good cause: The World Foundation for Epilepsy and other neurological

problems. Please, give an applause to any of the troupe members for a truly wonderful performance. "

Tony stood up, bowing to the applause of his fellow students. Rue just rolled her eyes at him.

The announcement continued," Another item to add, two students who performed in 'Now and Forever' had earned a very high privilege, Rue Kraehe & Tony Fakir have qualified to the

Julliard Academy of Dance's full scholarship, Congratulations! "

The class clapped even louder. Tony grinned, Rue blushed as Roku placed a soft kiss on her cheek in front of everyone. Belinda's ice-blue eyes twitched at this, and she pursed her lips.

Ella caught this action, she also caught Alanna's smirk at her 'friend's distress.

'How interesting"

1:45 pm

The day was almost done, just one class to go & Ella would be free. She hated the first day of school, absolutely loathed it. Syllabuses and selected reading lists and introductory letters

and filing & meeting people she was perfectly happy to leave behind over summer break…..

One more class, just one....more…..

She closed her eyes, letting her feet guide her down the hallway, she was exhausted. Another reason she hated school, everyday, at the end of the day, she was drained. Completely

drained of any power to do anything. Since it was a boarding school, with dorms you live in for 265 days, your buddies come and visit you. Visit you and wake you up from your nap…so

when you're exhausted & want to take a nap at the end of the day you can't, because someone will come a knocking at your door, waking you up and dragging you to the nearest hippie

joint to …breathe, just breathe. Wait until that moment comes to freak out…

Ella reopened her eyes, took another deep breath, and walked into Room #228, Economics with Mr. Rivers.

She had walked into a sanctuary.

The room was dark, lit only by blue & green Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and sparkling Christmas lights draping the chalkboards. The desks were arranged in a semi-circle

around a common center, the teacher's desk. It was in a perfect position, letting the teacher to command full view of his classroom, and focusing the class on him, only him, him and his

words.

She sat down in an unoccupied seat off-center to the right, back towards the door. Ella looked around the room, admiring posters & diagrams, and work from past pupils. The other

students were filing in slowly, talking and laughing with friends. From the looks of them, the roguish way they had their uniforms, and the over-all vibe, they weren't the kind of people she

was used to, they were the brats.

Brats, because their parents' money was the only thing keeping these kids in the Doux-Amer Academy, meant for the super-promising, not the super-rich (spoiled). Ella laid her head on

her desk again….  
A teacher walked in, and the class settled down. He was a scrawny, beanpole of a man, about 45 or so. His hair was going, going, almost gone, And his glasses were in dire need of

repair. He nervously made his way into the center, and flipped thorough the attendance papers, the class looked at each other, smirking, a single thought going through their minds…

'If this is the teacher, there's going to be hell.'

The students were getting loud, a paper ball flew past Ella's head. She was the only one sitting in her seat, a seat. The rest were on laps, laying on the floor, chewing gum, throwing

pencils, French-kissing.

The poor educator had cleared his throat, had begun to say something, had quieted back down again…..

The class grew louder, and Ella cast her hazel eyes down, feeling embarrassed for him.

He cleared his throat again,

" Class, settle down."

They did so, gradually, testing the limits.

He continued, " Hello everyone. I hope you all had a great summer. This is Economics and I am-"

A crisp, clear voice cut smoothly in, " Thankyou Mr. Blithers, I'm sorry I'm late."

Ella' s eyes widened.

She knew that voice, would have known that voice anywhere.

Even if she did only hear it on one occasion…..

Only once

A person was passing by her desk from behind, making his way to the center.

Ella's eyes were still wide in disbelief, not seeing anything in front of her.

"Again, thanks for covering, the coffee machine's backed up again & guess who had to fix it. Bleh. Anyway, have a good day."

Ella was looking down again, hyperventilating.

"Okay class, I am Mr. Rivers & I am your Economics teacher. Let me take attendance, then I'll properly introduce myself."

He rummaged through his desk..

"Where are those papers?", He wondered out loud

"Crap,…Mr. Blithers!"

The teacher ran out the door.

Casella sighed in relief, 'He's gone'

He came back, "Crazy old man took the attendance sheet with him"

He chuckled, a smooth, warm chuckle, "Now, let me take attendance"

'Oh shoot'

The teacher called out a list of names, getting to Ella's

"Casella Magdalene?"

She braced herself, "Here.."

And looked up,

The bartender met the eyes of the 28 yr. old muser….


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter four

Mr. Rivers tilted his head to the side, looking at her for a moment, no emotion in his eyes.

"How do you do?" He turned from her, "Jessica Mannose?"

Ella closed her eyes, her lower lip began to tremble,

'Why? Why here? '

Mr. Rivers finished calling out attendance. Leaning against his desk, he sighed and smoothed down his short, honey-colored hair. He assessed the class, probably wondering if it would be

a good end to a decent day.

"Well," he huffed," Hi everyone. How ya doing?"

He paused, waiting for an answer,

Silence

"O-o-kay, silent bunch.." He exhaled, smiling to himself, " Well, this is the room you'll be stuck in for about 190 hours this year, and I am the guy you'll be stuck with for that same amount

of time. So….let's be cooperative."

The class exchanged a look with each other, well…he won't be pushed around.

People started saying Hi, I'm good, How are you?, Great day we're having, etc… and Mr. Rivers laughed at the ceiling.

"Wonderful, let me tell you a little bit about myself….."

And he did. The town he grew up in, how old he was, how many years he was a teacher, the other places he lived, places he visited, pictures of his dog, his little sister, his younger

brother, his fiancée…

His fiancée….

Ella moaned softly, 'Of course, of course'

The rest of the 2 hour class passed by smoothly. Mr. Rivers was easygoing, he was interesting, he was mellow & funny. He asked curious questions, gave intelligent answers, and

introduced his subject well, the class went by quick, and the students thought that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad ending to their day after all…..

The bell rang, & Ella breathed a sigh of relief, rising from her seat, about to follow the other students out the door…

"Miss Magdalene?"

She paused, tense, facing away from the teacher's desk,

"Come here for a sec,"

She swallowed, bracing herself…

And turned, approaching his desk…..

Mr. Rivers was leaning back in his swivel chair, legs propped up on desk, gaze focused on the ceiling above. He was twirling a pencil in his right hand, and he flicked an eraser toward a

student's desk right in front of him.

"Sit"

She did so, nervously. He still stared up at the ceiling,

"How old are you?"

"16"

"And?"

"My father owns The Hendo , my brother is the senior bouncer."

He nodded slowly, caressing his cheek with the tip of the pencil, head still tipped back. He was mulling it over, and she had a sudden urge to knock the pencil right out of his hand……

"And the drink you were having?"

"Cranberry juice"

"Ah, of course,"

He smiled faintly, closing his eyes, She waited…

"You may go,"

She got up, and walked away without a word. She lingered by the doorway, watching him in his still position for a moment…..

And left..............

The door to dorm room #214 slammed open and a girl with caramel-brown, wavy hair stormed in. Ella's hazel eyes narrowed in frustration and she kicked the wall. She was just so angry,

so humiliated. She didn't expect this, seeing him again. I mean, it wouldn't have been so bad if it was in another situation, any other situation. She could've been about to get hit by a bus

the next time he saw her, but not this. He was the engaged educator, about to start a family, start life. And she? She was a kid, a child to be hauled in front of the teacher's desk and

stare at the floor… So embarrassing …

She was so lucky that her Spanish background, and her caramel skin hid her flaming cheeks…

Ella screamed, in frustration and anger, nothing else…..

Nothing else

Ella was lying on the floor, reading over syllabuses & course schedules, making sure she had the proper textbooks and such. She was still in a suckish mood, the mysterious longing for the

muser and his words replaced by humiliated anger at how he received her the second time, coldly and dismissive.

The door to dorm room #214 slammed open again. Ella looked up in surprise. Tony was standing there, smiling down at her.

"Heyy Casassy!" He flopped to the floor, "What's up?"

Casella (Casassy, Caselly, Ella,), was extremely annoyed at this disruption, and she sputtered,

"Wh-Ho-What the hell is he doing here," She said angrily, referring to the pony tailed Max.

"Well, he's my friend"

"Since 7th grade, baby" Max added cheekily

Tony elbowed his friend in the ribs, "We're here because we want you to tell us everything you know about Rose Minamino and her friend, Lilyanna de la Camera."

Ella wasn't in the mood," Bu-The-Wha-How am I supposed to know anything about either of those two? Why would I care?"

Tony sighed, and kneeled down to her, talking to her as if to a small child, "Well, my dear Caselly, because you know everything and because you know I am a very nosy person and would

love the information."

Max furiously nodded in agreement, Casella looked at them in disbelief, and sighed,

"Fine, Rose Minamino was born in Tokyo, Japan & is the sole daughter of American entrepreneur, Mr. Minamino of the very successful Effloresce , a business dealing with botany hybrids,

very expensive floral arrangements, and nearly anything to do with flowers. Miss Lilyanna is the daughter of co-founder, Mr. De La Camera. Anyone who is anybody in the rich, privileged

world uses their exotic and expensive arrangements in weddings, engagement parties, etc. So the girls are quite the heiresses. They moved here about 2 weeks ago, because of moving

of headquarters. and had to pay a good amount of money to be accepted this late."

Tony elbowed Max in the ribs again, grinning, "Didn't I tell you?"

They high-fived. And Ella looked at them through half-lidded eyes, " Why did you want the information again?"

The boys looked at each other "Well…" Tony began

"You see…" Max continued, "HeeHee"  
"MAX HAS A CRUSH ON LILYANNA!" Tony hollered  
"Well you were checkin' out the other one, you hypocrite,"  
Ella applied pressure to the bridge of her nose, she knew it came down to something like this,  
" I knew it, just knew it. ..Whatever, can you guys please leave now? I have a migraine,"  
"Sure, sure"  
"Sure thing, thanks,"  
The boys left,  
And Ella fell asleep, finally….

Rose Minamino had opened the door to her dorm room, and walked inside. Her blonde friend cautiously followed her in, flipping the light switch on the way. The lights turned on and the two girls gasped, amazed by the beautiful room.  
The room was painted in the softest pink, a cotton-candyish almost white that emitted a faint glow. There were tastefully simple prints in green frames hanging on the wall, and chic pieces of modern furniture arranged neatly around the dorm. There were two bedrooms, a petite living room, a bathroom, and a darling little kitchenette .  
The girls squealed, it was just too cute.  
Lilyanna ran to the nearest bedroom, jumping on top of the bed.  
It was so bouncy, nice and plush. And the pillows, the pillows…..  
She was feeling sooo drowsy, Rose shouted in her ears…  
And got smacked by a fluffy white pillow.  
"Hey!"  
"Your fault."  
"Whatever, anyway…..it's nice, isn't it?"  
"What?"  
Rose fell back into the bed alongside her friend, "This, the room, the school, the people.." She smiled  
Lilyanna sat up, looking down at the emerald-eyed girl,  
"People? Referring specifically to Tony, right?"  
Rose sat up as well, wide eyed, "Whaddya mean Tony,"  
Lilyanna gave her a sidelong glance, "Whaddya mean 'whaddya mean', you know what I mean,"  
Rose sputtered, a faint blush burning across her pale face, "I have absolutely no idea"  
Lilyanna, shrugged her shoulders in a Whatever you say kind of way, and flounced into the bathroom,  
"I'm gonna take a shower, kay?"  
"Sure, sure.." replied Rose absently, hugging a pillow close to her chest, "Sure"

She knew exactly what Lilyanna was talking about..  
Tony….  
It was 3rd block. Rose had very nearly lost her way to the classroom. The school was so big, it was frustrating. But other than that, the first day of school wasn't so bad. 1st block was nice, Literature with Ms. Louise. 2nd block was okay, besides the fact that there was no one she knew or even recognized. Rose wasn't shy, but it would've been nice to recognize at least one face. She hoped there would be someone she knew in this class, Advanced Chemistry with Mr. Algernon.  
She cautiously walked into the class room, looking at all the expensive equipment , the Bunsen burners, and beakers filled with colorful liquids. So far, no one looked remotely familiar.  
She sat in the second to last row, in the only seat available.  
The bell rang…  
The teacher strode in, greeted the class, took attendance, and Rose began to daydream……  
"Now pass the papers behind you, make sure everyone has one, these instructions are important"  
Rose looked up, startled, 'what? Crap…'  
Papers was being passed back, with lab instructions.  
Rose inwardly groaned, she had absolutely no idea what was going on.  
The kid in front of her turned his head, about to pass the paper back.  
He was….Tony,….Fakir?  
Tony glanced at her emotionlessly, 'New girl, hm'  
He handed the paper to her, and their hands touched.  
A jolt of electricity passed through on contact, They both flinched and looked up.  
Emerald eyes met hazel ones.

"Hi…"  
"Hi…"  
They smiled at each other  
A voice coughed behind them, "Paper, please?"  
They looked around, startled, each blushing furiously, and Rose handed the paper to the person behind her  
'Sorry," she mumbled, smiling shyly at Tony.  
He grinned at her, and she blushed again……..

Rose hugged her pillow closer yet. How she loved his grin. She felt so silly, especially since she just met the guy, but…..  
That brilliant flash of white against his copper skin, and the way he cocked a single sable brow when he mocked you, and those teasing hazel eyes with more green in them then brown…he was irresistible.  
Sure, the class started out coolly, but by the end, Tony & Rose were laughing, giggling, talking, whispering, flirting, and teasing each other like they've known the other for months. They were lab partners and utterly at ease with each other's company. Rose had left the classroom with a pleasantly warm feeling in her stomach, like she had just drank a delicious cup of cider, or sunshine.  
Rose Minamino sighed, and fell back among the cushiony pillows and comforter. Lilyanna stepped from the bathroom, dressed in her pajamas, and Rose shot her a wide grin…

The smell of roses lingered on her skin. Passion lingered in her eyes. The woman smiled coyly up at the robustly handsome man whose hands were trailing down her body. She smiled, and felt a tingle of self-satisfaction when the man, whose only company was the company of beautiful women, blushed & stuttered.  
She had done it again.  
She was irresistible, even to a man who could have any woman he wanted, even to a man who spent his day running his hands all over the rich and beautiful. What with her golden body & coy smile, she was beautiful. What man could resist? Resist buying his daughter the latest Alanna Bixen movie, accessory, doll, game, clothing, poster, anything and everything having the movie star's logo and famous smile. For Alanna Bixen was a movie star, The Movie Star. She was renowned for her beauty and for her appeal. She was a young girl's idol…and young man's fantasy. She was a star among stars in the beautiful-people crazed America. She was known to the world as America's sweetheart, among other things. No one could resist her, no one wanted to resist her. Alanna could have any man she wanted, Any man. Even a seemingly inhuman massage therapist at PAMPER; an exclusive spa deep in the Andres mountains, somewhere in southern France.  
The poor man was still bright red, dazed by her smile.  
Alanna smirked again, feeling proud of herself.  
Now why couldn't Tony respond like him, like anyone else?  
Her smirk faded,  
So she couldn't have any man she wanted.  
He was the exception.  
Tony Fakir was the only one of his gender, the only one, who had ever refused her.  
He returned her coquettish smiles, he flirted outrageously.  
His eyes always filled with approval of her body, filled with acknowledgement of her appeal.  
But he refused her.  
Time & time again.  
Whether she was coy or brazen, seductive or sweet, he never accepted.  
Never went beyond a touch, or smile.  
A sensual touch & a deliciously teasing smile.  
That only made her want him more.  
Only made her more determined.  
Determined to take him to bed.  
Determined to smash anyone who stood in her way.  
And that anyone presently consisted of only one.  
Rose Minamino.  
Rose fricken' Minamino, the new girl. Alanna's 3rd block class was Advanced Chemistry with Mr. Algernon. Which meant, yes, she was in the same class as Tony and that twit. That raven-haired, emerald-eyed twit. She witnessed the scene between those two, encouraged when Tony was disdainful, enraged when their eyes met & the rest of the block passed in flirtatious talk.  
How could Tony even glance at the twit when Alanna was in the room.  
There was a knock at the door, and the therapist opened it. A tall, striking teenage girl walked in, glancing at the man with disdain. He was sent into another fit of reddened embarrassment.  
Alanna smirked.  
Belinda was a bitch.  
She was distant, cold, & cruel.  
She was the daughter of Spain's Ambassador & she had the proper royal upbringing.  
AKA, the proper bitchy attitude in treating everyone as your inferior.  
Belinda could make anyone, anyone, feel like they were nothing.  
Which was useful.  
Which was why she was Alanna's best friend.  
Belinda threw herself in a lounging chair next to the blonde movie star, taking in the candlelight and the romantic atmosphere.  
"So you've been spending the entire day here."  
Alanna let out a peal of airy laughter, "Try it, you'll like it"  
Belinda shrugged, sat up, and began pulling her Vera Wang silk camisole over her head, exposing her upper body and lying back down in the lounger. It was a signal to the man to pour the soothing oils on her back and begin the massage. Alanna rolled her sapphire eyes.  
A quick ring of a bell had another devilishly handsome man coming in to massage Ms. Bixen.  
"Well?"  
" Hmm, not too bad."  
"What have you been doing the whole day?"  
"Facial, pedicure, manicure, acupuncture, sushi, strawberry gelatos"  
"You've been doing a strawberry gelato?"  
"Whatever"  
"Where's everyone else?"  
"Who knows"  
"Where's Rue?"  
"Who cares"  
"Roku does"  
Pain flashed across Belinda's face, even if it was only for a second.  
It was a mean thing of Alanna to do, but with the incident between Rose & Tony still fresh in her mind, she just had to do it. It was amusing. Belinda was in the same fix as she was, except …  
She was (supposedly) in love with Roku.  
In Love.  
Right.  
Belinda Sargon didn't 'love' anybody.  
But she did.  
As Belinda felt the massager's capable hands expertly knead her skin, she felt the tension lessen. Sure, it was only the first day of school, but already there was stress. Especially with Roku Kaiba in her homeroom. Especially when he sat right across from her. Especially when Rue Kraehe sat diagonal from her, two seats in front of Roku. Especially when those two were dating. Dating as in kissing, hugging, flirting, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.  
Alanna was wrong.  
Belinda did love someone.  
Someone with warm blue eyes , a gentle smile. Someone who was sweet & sensitive, but firm when needed. Someone who had given her something, her first kiss, although he had forgotten about it. Someone who was desirable, not only to her, but to her family, her father, her people. Someone who was the future CEO of the world's largest stakeholder in the next generation of technology, & named one of TIME's most innovative people in the world. Someone who was not anyone but Roku Kaiba.  
She loved (loved?) him.  
Because she loved him, it hurt her to see him pine after a girl who was already, in title if not in reality, his. Rue was his, Roku's . She was his girlfriend, she was his love.  
But Belinda's love made her icy blue eyes sharp.  
Sure, Roku loved Rue. Did she have to love him back?  
Not necessarily.  
Rue was practically perfect, Belinda would never have a chance with him, were it not for the fact that beautiful Rue might love someone else.  
Sure, they dined out,  
Sure, Rue and Roku seemed always to be in each other's arms, kissing and touching, and smiling.  
Sure, they were voted the cutest couple on campus three years running.  
And Rue seemed genuinely caring of Roku (but seriously, who wouldn't?)  
So why did Rue's famously wine-colored eyes often stray to another. Why did a pair of hazel eyes, with more green in them then brown, seem to be almost helplessly drawn to Roku's love. Why did Rue Kraehe seem to always be in the presence of a certain tall, dark, hazel-eyed performer by the name of Tony Fakir?


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter five

Ella had just woken up.

Sunlight was streaming through the windows, getting in her eyes.

She glanced drowsily at her alarm clock,

5:30 am, September 2nd

'Well,' Ella mused, ' I actually woke up early. Have time to make muffins. Muffins? Really? Well, I won't have to make breakfast for a while. Hmm…."

She sighed, and stood up, "Fine"

She walked into her kitchenette, sleepily arranging the ingrediants for cranberry-orange muffins….

30 minutes later, respectively

The kitchenette was filled with a sweet smell. Ella was washing the dishes.

The muffins were just about done & there was a steaming cup of sweet chamomile tea (with a bit of Bailey's Irish cream added) just waiting for her.

Somebody knocked.

"It's open"

The door flung open.

"Don't have to break it", she grumbled

Tony walked in, along with:

Roku, his brother Matt, Max, Jake, Eddy, basically every boy from her homeroom, and then some.

Ella, glad that she decided that day to wear a bit of makeup, wiped her hands dry on a towel.

"Seriously?"

Roku blushed, 'Sorry' he mouthed, as Tony came up to her.

"Hi Caselly! Something smells good!" he grinned, cheekily.

She glared at him.

"What? You said it was open,"

She sighed, whatever, it didn't matter. "Roku, be a dear and take the muffins out before they burn"

"Muffins?" The boys' ears perked up, food?

Crap.

'I'm gonna need more Bailey's in that cup of tea'

Ella sighed again, she should've expected this, she really should have. Well, there's nothing else to do at this point.

"Tony? There's buttermilk in the fridge, & plates in the that drawer, no, the other one"

Five minutes later and everyone was settled down on a chair, bench, floor, munching away on cranberry-orange muffins & fruit salad. They all looked like children, and Ella felt a rush of

affection for all of them, especially when the compliments started.

"These muffins are delicious"  
"Mhm!"  
"Never tasted anything better"  
"Not even my mom makes 'em better"  
"Yum!"  
"So buttery, so light and fluffy"  
"Hee hee"

An hour and some minutes later, ' s homeroom were settled in their seats. The 2nd day of school felt like the 100th, the summer vacation seemed like nothing but a distant memory. There

was a collective sigh.

The annoucements came on, all repetitive of yesterday's.

Another sigh..

Suddenly , Mr. Callahan's loud voice was in the air.

"Would The Drama troupe report to the Rehearsal stage after school today, the rehearsal stage after school. And would Tony Fakir & Rue Kraven report to my office 2nd block, my office,

2nd block."

The annoucements ended

2nd block

Tony was drumming his pencil on the edge of his desk. The bell was about to ring, and another boring day of Calculus was all that he would have to look forward to.

Wait a minute…….

Didn't he have to be somewhere?

Mr. Callahan…….

Darn it, he'd forgotten…..

5 minutes later

"Tony! What a pleasant surprise! I wasn't expecting you! Oh, that's right, I was. Fifteen minutes ago."

Tony blushed, annoyed by the fact that Rue was smirking at him. "Sorry, Mr. Callahan"

"Oh never mind that, me boy. We have other things to think about. Julliard things. Come on, this place is stuffy, let's grab a bite at that little café at the corner of Warren drive and Ruben

boulevard."

10 minutes later

The teacher & students were pleasantly seated at an outdoor bistro, sipping lattes.

"Well, what are we going to do?"

"Whatever they want of course!"

"Which is?"

"How would I know?"

" Mr. Callahan, It's Julliard."

"And?"

Rue sighed,

"Dancing, singing, acting, performing Julliard"

"Rue?"

"Yes?"

"You're brilliant"

Rue rolled her eyes, feeling a flash of affection for her weird teacher.

Tony rolled his eyes, feeling a flash of annoyance at Rue, and Mr. Callahan's doting.

"Anyway…"

"Oh, yes. We need a routine"

"What kind?"

"Well, they really loved that play"

"Maybe a skit"

"Sure"

"You know it's collaborative, right?

"Yeah"

"You'll have to spend hours in each other company, you do know that"

Silence.

Tony was in his 3rd block class. He absently returned Rose's cheerful smile with a faint nod.

He was thinking, musing, brooding.

He didn't want to work with Rue, didn't want to talk to her, didn't want to see her.

He didn't like her. He could push her off a cliff if he ever had the chance.

She was a selfish, provocative little twit that had everyone wrapped around her fingers.

Including, much to his chagrin and frustration, him.

Yeah, that's right.

Tony Fakir loved, no, not loved, liked, no, not liked, cared for, no, not even cared for…..

Tony Fakir was trapped by Rue Kraehe.

Trapped by her crimson eyes, her snow-white skin, her curling ebony hair.

Yes, trapped.

He hated her. He despised her.

Every word that came out of her mouth, every condescending smirk, every disdainful little glance.

And yet..

A light blush on her pale cheeks, a gentle smile on her lips….

The graceful way she dipped and turned

The golden light that seemed to emit from her when she danced….

No, Tony didn't love, didn't even like Rue, the person.

But he was captivated by Rue, the dancer.

What a ****ed up little world

4th block, Mr. Rivers' Economics class

"It's simple, really. As the quantity goes down, the value goes up. When you have more of something the value drops. That's why Walmart, ever heard of it?, is cheap. That is why Gold is

so valuable. Economics is basically that concept with a crap load of fancy words all mushed up into it."

"So, " a student cautiously asked, "That's all we need to know?"

"Basically" the teacher replied

"No tests?"

Mr. Rivers cracked a grin, "Well, if we lived in my world, sure. But….nobody likes my world. I explained my thinking to a lot of American schools while applying for a job. Nobody. Replied. " he

chuckled, "That's why I'm 300,000 mls. from my hometown of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, home of the Storbridge lion."

Casella smiled gently up at the teacher, she loved when he added random facts about himself,

He was egotistical.

The phone rang.

Mr. Rivers went to answer it, Casella doodled on her notebook, the other students talked.

The teacher hung up, wrote up a pass, and handed it to Ella, " Mr. Callahan wants you"

"Mr. Callahan?"

The 28 yr. old teacher shrugged

Ella was walking down the hallway, heading to Mr. Callahan's office . She was a bit annoyed at the interupption. She had an Economics test next week and she didn't want to miss any

important information. She didn't want to miss a word that came out of the handsome man's mouth. Sigh, after she had a proper tantrum and what not, she had regained her composure.

She liked her 4th block class, regardless of the teacher. Mr. Rivers was wonderful. It was only out of class that she wanted to kick him. He was a jerk anywhere outside the classroom.

"Oh whatever, he doesn't matter. "

"Who doesn't matter?"

Flustered, Ella turned to the voice behind her, Roku's voice, "Roku?"

"Did Mr. Callahan call you down too?"

"Yeah,"

They stopped, Mr. Callahan's office stood before them. Roku opened the door for the girl he considered family,

"Ladies first, " he said, quietly.

"Thankyou,"

They entered the Drama director's office, he was there, seated. A group of 20 or so students huddled around him. He smiled brightly at them, inviting them in….

"Roku Kaiba! Casella Magdelene, did you not hear the annoucement this morning?"

The two looked at each other,

"Well, didn't know we were included"

"Of course you are, you're the managers."

"Oh, right. An unofficial title , but whatever."

"Anyway, down to business. We have a performance coming up in February."

"What's it about?"

"Well, I'm not done yet. Only have the first act."

"Sooo, you're not sure?"

"Not really,"

"Well, that's a good thing to know. Wonderful,"

The rest of the meeting passed in debates over what the play should be about, who should be in charge of the props, the costumes, the scripts, deus ex machina, and all the small details

needed to create another spectatcular performance. Ella departed with a feeling that things have been done, things that would never have been done left to Mr. Callahan.

"Well, it's too late to return to class, "

"So we stay 'till the bell rings?"

"Yeah"

The bell rang…..


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter six  
Lights flashed, music pounded, bodies throbbed….  
Sway back & forth, catch the rhythm  
With his hands on her hips, and his lips at her ear, Max smiled in self satisfaction. He was a playboy in all his glory, dancing at The Hendo 54 with no worries…  
Dance with the ladies..  
With no commitments  
Drink what he wants  
Without fear of the inevitable hangover  
Smile & joke & flirt  
Without worrying that his girlfriend'll kill him the next morning  
He didn't have a girlfriend. Never cared to have one. Until now…..  
The pony-tailed brunet smirked at the lady in his arms, whispered an excuse in her ear, and left her, weaving in and out of the crowds as smoothly as anyone, without looking back at her pout. He stopped at the edge of the dancing crowds, inconspicuously watching two girls sitting at the bar. Specifically, inconspicuously watching one girl sitting at the bar. A girl with hair like spun gold, and deep-blue, almost violet eyes (not to mention curves to make Max's mouth water)…..  
Someone bumped him from behind, Tony, his longtime partner-in-crime.  
"So, you're still watching her…Laugh out loud"  
"Whatever. Where's everyone else"  
"Well, Steve's dancing, or trying to dance with his little French girl ."  
Max smirked and looked over to his skater-boy friend who was bashfully trying to get a certain black-eyed, French beauty to notice him.  
"Poor kid,"  
"Roku's dancing with you know who.."  
The tall, handsome boy was indeed slow-dancing with Rue. Slow dancing to a techno beat., really?  
"Of course,"  
"Jake & Matt are doing, uh, whatever it is they're doing"  
"Hm?"  
Max looked over at his two friends. They were uh, dancing? Belinda's twin brother & Roku's younger sibling were fooling around with two floozies, while Belinda glared.  
"Somebody doesn't look too happy, "  
"Whatever, she's way too protective of Jake, it's like she's his mother or something. "  
"Man, look at Eddy, you go boy!"  
Dark-skinned Eddy Catania was being lead by a none-too-shabby lady upstairs to The Hendo's 2nd floor, a more promiscuous and carnally oriented bar. The well-muscled teenager tossed them a smirk……  
"You wish you can do that with little Miss Lilyanna de La Camera over there, huh?"  
Max glared angrily at his friend, "And who says I couldn't?"  
Tony grinned,  
"Fine, I'll show you"  
Max stomped to the girls, his angry scowl melting away as he approached the blondie  
Rose looked, smiling, "Lilyanna, turn around, look who's here,"  
Lilyanna innocently turned around, "Hu- oh!"  
Max flashed her his most charming smirk, "Hey,"  
A brilliant red blush seared across Lilyanna's face, "Hi" she whispered faintly  
"Wanna dance?"  
The petite blonde flashed a startled look at her friend, Rose smiled encouragingly, "Go 'head,"  
Lilyanna hesitantly took the brunet boy's offered hand, he was filled with adoration of her innocence….  
With Lilyanna's hand in his, he stalked triumphantly past Tony, who, smiling, made his way to Rose.  
'Now it's my turn,' He thought .

Casella was polishing up her bar, mentally smashing her father's face into the ground because he gave her the weekend shift. The weekend, when everyone she ever knew showed up at The Hendo. Do you know how embarrassing it is to serve your friends? How degrading it is? Ella glanced to the edge of the bar, the edge that was, a week earlier, occupied by a certain 28 year old, but now was just occupied by a familiar-looking girl.  
'Rose, rose, Minamino…right?'  
She sighed, she had seen Tony come in, along with the usual gang of boys. Rose & Lilyanna had accompanied them, much to Ella's surprise. She had a foreboding, a feeling that something was going to happen, soon. After all, Alanna Bixen was there, America's Sweetheart.  
Casella snorted, 'Yeah, & I'm the queen of the world.'  
The brunette sighed again, looking at her classmate. She knew that Tony was interested in that green-eyed girl, and she was nosy enough to be curious about whether Rose was interested as well.  
' Well, as no one ever notices the bar tender, I guess I'll have to..… do something.'  
She sidled over to Rose, "May I get you anything, miss?"  
Rose looked up, "Oh, no Thank- hey , don't I know you?"  
"Well, yes. I'm in your homeroom."  
'Yeah, Ella, right? Or , that's what Tony called you,"  
"Tony?'  
"Yeah, he was talking about you in Science class"  
' WTF, why does he keep on doing that?' "Oh,"  
"Yeah, we're in the same chem. class,"  
"Cool,"  
A few minutes of polite conversation passed, followed by an awkward pause.  
"So, Tony is in your Chem. Class, right?"  
"Yeah he's really sweet, and, well, uh, you know him."  
Ella sighed, "Yeah, He's a charming flirt."  
"He's a flirt?!"  
'Crap,' "Well, aren't all guys once in a while?"  
"Yeah,"  
Suddenly, Mr. Tony Fakir himself appeared almost out of nowhere,  
"Hey, there Rosie Posie,"  
Rose blushed, Casella sighed,  
"Oh, Ella, didn't see you there, all uniformed up,"  
His friend glared at him  
"Let's go dance, "  
"Who, me?"  
"Yes you, silly."  
"I don't know…"  
Tony grinned, taking her hand,  
"I thought you liked me, "  
" I do, well, I-uh, not like that, well,"  
"Then dance with me…"  
"Okay…"  
Tony led her away, winking at Ella, who bit her thumb at him.  
'Charismatic Jerk'  
She sunk down suddenly, thinking about another charismatic jerk when the service bell rang.  
Casella peeked out above the counter top, wincing when she met the furious eyes of Miss Alanna Bixen….

"Who does that slut think she is," The platinum blonde hissed,  
"Well, she thinks she's Rose Minamino, and I'm pretty sure she's right about that,"  
Alanna glared at the bartennder, 'Don't give me that shit,"  
Casella sighed, "Fine, let me get you something,  
"Scotch on the rocks,"  
"Here you go miss."  
Alanna gulped the amber liquid down in one swoop, her nerves immediately relaxed.  
"Well?"  
"Does she like him?"  
"Yes,"  
"Does he like her?'  
"Well,"  
"if you don't tell me.."  
Casella sighed, she wasn't a coward and she certaintly wasn't afraid of Alanna but…..  
She knew something about the movie star that would get her kicked out of the academy if anyone ever found out, a fact Alanna was quite aware of. And even though Alanna would be in quite the trouble too, she is the kind of person who'd take anyone down with her,  
"Let me get you another drink"  
"Casella,"  
"Fine. Yeah,"  
"Yeah what?"  
"He does,"  
Alanna's fist slammed that countertop, Casella cringed.  
"That little whore,"  
Ella wasn't sure exactly who the whore was.  
Alanna was mad, beyond mad, she was pissed. If Chemistry class wasn't enough, and all the platonic flirting just made her sick, now they were actually having physical contact. He was touching the little twerp like he never touched Alanna. She wasn't jealous, no, she wasn't jealous. She was just frustrated. Carnally frustrated.  
She lazily glanced around the club, there were some decent guys here, ones who would certainly jump at the chance to entertain one of Hollywood's most glamorous. She threw oblique glances at the bartender. Casella Magdalene was a weird one. She was, though Alanna didn't care to admit it, pretty. She had that heart-shape face & a slim physique that was not unattractive to the male population. In fact, she was very attractive to the male population. Alanna, who knew what the male gender wanted, knew this for a fact. And she had wanted the girl to be part of her, um, organization. But Casella had refused. The girl had never had a relationship, to anyone's knowledge, which, while probably the reason behind her refusal of Alanna's offer, was strange, since Casella was usually in the company of boys. Including Tony.  
"Whatever, put the drinks on my tab,"  
Ella sighed, Alanna was finally gone

Lilyanna, Tony, Rose, and Max were flirting, dancing, having a few laughs, when the song ended.  
Rose sighed, "Well, we have to go,"  
"What?! Now? No, not yet," Tony pleaded.  
"We do actually, it's late and" Lilyanna said  
"But it's Saturday, Saturday!" Max whined  
Rose slipped out of Tony's hold on her, "Sorry. Gotta go,"  
"Fine, we'll take you,"  
"No, you don't ha-"  
The boys were already gone, Max to say goodbye to his buddies, and Tony- to filch Ella's car keys.  
Sigh…

Alanna was feeling better. She had drink in her system, her favorite song blasting in her ears and a hot Italian guy's body grinding against her own. Belinda, Adelie Rionte, and Crystal Diamonte were dancing nearby. Suddenly she stopped. Rose Minamino was standing in the middle of the dance floor. Without Tony.  
"Well, well, well."  
She stalked to the girl and her blondie friend.  
Rose was caught quite off guard.  
"Oh look. If it isn't Tony's little whore."  
Rose spun around, "What ?" She stared in shock at the platinum-blonde movie star. "May I ask you what that's suppose to mean?" she asked icily.  
Lilyanna gulped. Belinda, Adelie, and Crystal had joined them.  
"Oh…you know exactly what I mean."  
Rose's emerald yes narrowed, "Actually, I don't. Enlighten me, "  
Alanna hesitated, she hadn't counted on the raven-haired girl not being intimidated, even just a little.  
"Well, I'll leave it to Tony to tell you. You two are awfully close, you should ask him"  
"I won't, because I have no fucking clue what the hell you're talking about, and frankly, I really don't care. "  
She stormed off…  
But, as Lilyanna turned to flee, Alanna gripped her arm tightly, her nails digging in.  
Pulling Lilyanna in, she narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice menacingly. Lilyanna (almost nose to nose, and cowering under Alanna's icy glare) whimpered.  
"You better tell your friend to stay away from Tony, he's mine. Oh, and, heh. If I have to say it again…your parents better get ready to pay a MAJOR hospital bill. " She let Lilyanna go & examined her nails, smirking as the blondie fled. Adelie & Crystal glanced after Lilyanna in sympathy, while Belinda giggled.

Casella, of course, had witnessed the whole scene. She sighed, and rolled her eyes.  
It's amazing that everyone else was absolutely oblivious.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter seven  
Casella's cherry-red Malibu  
Things were tense, And Max had no idea why. Everything was fine inside of The Hendo, what happened? Now Rose was stiff and Lilyanna had a very worried expression on. Although….  
It made her look super cute.  
Tony glanced at a certain emerald-eyed girl through his mirror. She was blankly staring out the window. Her expression was set, her eyes were hard.  
'What was the matter?'  
He cleared his throat, attempting to break the silence, "So…"  
"Uh, Rose?", Lilyanna hesitated, "I have to tell you something,"  
"Oh, now you talk. It was like you didn't have a mouth or something back there, geez,", Rose snapped.  
Tony & Max were shocked,  
Lilyanna bit her lip,  
Rose stared moodily out the window,  
Silence prevailed…

Roku's Mercedes-Benz  
Ella was mad.  
'That little twit stole my car, again…How does he do that?'  
Someone jostled her from the side, Casella pushed back, hard. Only because she had to ride in Roku's car, (along with Rue, Jake, Matt, and Steven,) didn't mean she had to tolerate pushing. Jake Sargon, Belinda's twin brother, & only son of Spain's ambassador, looked at her in surprise.  
"Look's like we've got a feisty one here.", he commented dryly.  
She rolled her eyes.  
"Speaking of feisty ones, " Roku began slyly," Did you see who Steven was dancing with?"  
"Don't you mean…trying to dance with?" Matt, Roku's step-brother teased.  
Steven Belle was beginning to redden.  
"And did you hear the song that was being played, over & over again,?" Jake smirked,  
"I do believe it was, 'My little French maid,' currently #1 in the U.S. & growing in popularity here as well, "  
"And just who, pray tell, do you think is the artist?"  
Casella rolled her eyes, "Who?"  
"Steven Belle!!" All the boys chorused,(except Steven, who was bright red,)  
"So, tell me, Steven," Rue asked casually," How is Crystal Diamonte,"  
"Yeah, how is your little French maid?"  
The guys cracked up.  
Ella rolled her eyes again, Rue smirked…

Monday  
Casella's observant hazel eyes took every detail in.  
There was Roku & Rue, lovey-dovey as usual.  
There was Rose & Lilyanna, making new friends.  
There was Alanna & her posse, having a hushed meeting…  
There was Tony and his band of boys, the brunet boy discreetly trying to catch Rose's eye.  
Sigh…..

Later…  
The bell had just rung  
]Tony was feeling at the top of his game. Not too long ago he had just gave Ms. Rose Minamino the most amazing kiss of her life (not to sound cocky or anything). He was fed up with the gloominess, so he kissed her. Just walked up to her, pulled her in, and kissed her. She kissed him back…  
Kissed him back hard….  
Mr. Fakir smirked, Rose was….  
Rose was wonderful, the perfect blend of sugar & spice…  
Feisty & passionate, she kept him guessing,  
Interested would be a better word…  
She was beautiful too,  
What with her darkly lashed, wide emerald eyes,  
Loosly waving raven hair  
And that body…..  
Tony smirked.  
That body……  
Speaking of wide eyes, loosely waving hair, and a perfect bod, coming down the hall straight toward him was Miss Maya Ahiru & Ella. Tony always had a sort of 'crush' on Maya……  
"Hello there, Miss Ahiru. You're looking pretty as usual, " he smiled crookedly  
A flash of bright red seared across Maya's cheeks, "T-t-thank you," she stammered,  
Casella rolled her eyes, "Stupid jerk."  
Both Tony & Maya turned to look at her, "Excuse me?"  
She glared at the lanky teenager, he knew what she meant, "You'll make us late, Good bye."  
She dragged her friend away from the boy, leaving him to look utterly confused….

Casella and Maya were entering their next class together when Ella noticed the lingering blush on her friend's cheek. "Maya, you're not developing a sort of crush on Mister Tony Fakir, are you?"  
Maya paused, her blush deepening, "N-o-o," she began slowly, "He's just been a whole lot nicer this year,"  
Casella blew her bangs up, "For the love o-, There's a difference between nice, & flirtatious, learn it." she snapped  
'Why does Tony have to mess with Maya? She's too good for him…'  
Why?  
Because, all physical qualities aside….  
Because Miss Maya Lynn Ahiru is PERFECTLY INNOCENT.  
From her eyes, to her gestures, to her smile..  
All screamed PERFECTLY INNOCENT  
Maya held the look of someone who never knew what heartbreak was, she held the look of someone who never felt the bite of jealousy, the temptation of betrayal & lies, the whisper of body & heart, the attachment of love or lust,  
'And that'', thought Tony as he stepped into the classroom as the bell rang, 'That just annoys the hell outta me,'  
Everyone has their own personal demons; Alanna, Casella, Rue, even Matt!  
Tony thought for a bit, "Heh. I pulled Matt in with the girls. Funny."  
Speaking of Matt, both he and Jake were in this block with him,  
'Wonder what they're doing'  
Tony glanced over at his friends & raised his eyebrows when he saw Matt yelling at Jake from atop of a desk, & a HUGE spider on the floor, & the professor and othe students standing by, & Matt shrieking his head off,  
"SOMEONE KILL THAT SPIDER! THERE'S A HUGE FRICKEN' SPIDER ON THE FLOOR AND I WANT IT DEAD!"  
Tony rolled his eyes, ' I was right in putting Matt with the girls. The boy's a SPAZZ.'  
Tony strolled over to the desk Matt was standing on & punched his leg,  
"Yo, SPAZZ. What the Hell are you doing atop of that desk?"  
"WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?! TAKING A NAP!?! SOMEONE BETTER KILL THAT GOD DAMN SPIDER BEFORE I'M DEAD!!!"  
'Poor Matt is on the brink of hysteria', Tony thought  
"Now Mister Kaiba," began the professor soothingly, trying to calm the student down,  
"DON'T YOU 'NOW MISTER KAIBA' ME!!"  
'Aww, Matt is over the brink of hysteria, how sad.'  
"NOW LISTEN HERE, ALL YOU BUBS. I AM DEATHLY ALLERGIC TO SPIDERS -ANY FLAVOR- AND SINCE I DON'T WANT TO DIE, THANKYOU VERY MUCH, I WANT THAT THING GOSH FRICKEN' DEAD."  
Jake, both heroically & utterly childishly, stood with a pile of binders next to the offending arachnid  
"I, the SPIDER STOMPER, will kill this bug," He picked up a binder, "Is this anyone's?"  
A shaggy-haired boy raised his hand, "Yeah, tha-"  
"Well, TOO BAD." Jake dropped the binder, "aww. It missed ." he picked up another one, blue, with a spray of red flowers. Adelie Rionte eyes widened,  
"Hey, That's MINE,"  
"YES! Target Hit! TARGET SQUASHED!!"  
The professor thought it was high time to get in control of the situation,  
"Okay, Mister Sargon & Mister Kaiba, Now that your little arachnid crisis is over, I'd like you to return to your seats, NOW."  
Matt meekly jumped off the desk as Jake meekly piled the binders with spider guts back where he found them.  
"Uh, excuse me," Adelie Rionte tapped his shoulder,"That was my binder you used to kill that spider,"  
Jake looked down at the binder he held in his hands, and looked up at Adelie, "Okay, here ya go!!"  
He turned & left.  
Adelie's turquoise eyes narrowed. Matt, seeing this, rolled his eyes in annoyance,  
"I'm sorry,' He said to Adelie," He's not very considerate,"  
Adelie still glowered at Jake, who was now chatting with Tony,  
"So I see, monsieur,"  
Feeling very nice, Matt rolled up his sleeves, took the gut-splattered binder from Adelie's hands, and turned the water faucet of a sink located in the classroom, very convenient. He poured some soap on the binder & began to scrub, feeling very manly as he did it. Adelie felt touched by this show of gallentry, but…  
"Aye, monsieur. This is all very kind of you, but…Aren't you afraid of dying? As you were making SUCH a racket of it before,"  
Suddenly ashamed of his scene, Matt wiped the binder dry,  
"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. The little thingy is dead & his guts are swirling down the drain, " He handed her the binder, "There ya go. All clean & sparkly. And it smells like melon-cucumber too!"  
Adelie giggled as she took the binder back,  
" Thankyou very much. And, for being so considerate, here…."  
She leaned up, placed an airy kiss on his cheek, and sauntered to her seat….  
Matt touched his cheek, in a daze…  
COOL

Five Minutes Later  
"Pssst" … "Pssssst" … "PSSSSSSST," … "What?" … "I saw that," … "What do you mean?"  
"Will the boys in the back be quiet, or do I have to make you quiet?"  
"We'll stop,"

" KISSY- KISSY,"  
"SHUT UP!"  
"How many times, Mister Kaiba, how many times?"  
"I really am sorry,"  
"Then SHUT UP,"  
Matt threw Jake an annoyed glare, which was returned with a grin,  
'I hate you'

Coming out of class  
"Did you see that, Tony? Did you see it? Matt just got his first kiss -sniff- our boy is growing up!"  
"Stop it,"  
"My, my. Someone's cranky,"  
"Jake, ignore him. Some people just get so stuck up when they are kissed."  
"I don't like you guys,"  
"AW, why don't you wash some more binders, I'm sure someone will make you feel so much better!"  
Fed up, Matt crossed his arms and grumped. Adelie was heading out the door, glowering at the sight of Jake, but cheering up when she caught sight of Matt.  
"Bye, Matt!" she called, fluttering her fingers in farewell,  
"Bye Adelie…" Matt called faintly, in another daze.  
Steven Bell was just emerging from his second block classroom, when he caught sight of Matt gazing at Adelie's retreating figure. Steven smirked,  
"Well lookee here. Guess I ain't the only one who's digging a little French chick."  
Jake & Tonny burst out laughing, as Matt reddened , "I really hate you guys," he said, as Jake fist bumped Steven, "I really, really hate you guys,"

Rose was in shock.  
He kissed her  
He kissed her.  
Coming out of Homeroom Mr. Tony Fakir had just walked up to her and kissed her….  
Sigh…

Alanna  
He kissed that little bitch.  
GRR……

4th block, Mr. Rivers' Economics class  
He did not look happy.  
He had their graded tests in his hands and,  
He did not look happy.  
Darn, and I thought I actually did well……  
Ella sighed,  
Her teacher sighed as well,  
"Well, they're not what I expected. "  
The class looked up,  
"Certaintly not after a study guide, a crossword puzzle, and a game of jeopardy…"  
He flipped throught the pile of papers quickly,  
"No one in any of my classes so far has gotten higher than, well, a sixty…"  
The class cringed.  
Seriously? Oh dear…  
He began passing them out.  
Ella hung her head,  
He was coming towards her,  
He passed her test to her desk, face down  
She peeked at it,  
Well, I got the bonus wrong  
She flipped it over,  
A ninety-seven?  
She glanced up,  
And found Mr. Rivers looking at her, a contemplative look in his eyes.  
He quickly looked away, & moved on to the next person.  
The phone rang….  
Mr. Rivers went to answer it, Casella doodled on her notebook, the other students talked.  
The teacher hung up, wrote up a pass, and handed it to Ella,  
Again?!?  
" Office,"  
"Office?"  
Her teacher shrugged,

"So, he was in an accident?"  
"Yes, and thankfully he's still alive, but in critical condition."  
"How long?"  
"The doctors aren't sure yet, but maybe….A half a year."  
"A half a year!"  
"Maybe longer…"  
"Longer!"  
"We're looking for a replacement.."  
Replacement? For Mr. Callahan? With a Julliard audition in four months, another 'spectatacular' play in six months, and not even a wriiten script in sight? The drama troupe were on the brink of tears, some girls were indeed crying hysterically. A morning stroll to a nearby ice cream shoppe, a hit from a 2-ton motercycle, stomach torn open, guts spread across the street for the world to see, critical head injury, a whole damn mess.  
Casella sighed,  
Just a whole damn mess….


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter eight  
What now?  
What was Tony suppose to do now?  
What was Rue suppose to do now?  
What was anyone suppose to do now?  
Whether it be a comedy to entertain, a tragedy to teach a lesson, or a skit that could very well determine your future, Mr. Callahan played a crucial role in Doux-Amer's performing arts. And the performing arts played a crucial role in Doux-Amer. The money that flowed from the yearly performances added to school funds, to local charities, to supporting the many upon many scholarships that the Academy handed out. Scholarships like the ones Rue & Tony had received. A missed performance could very well destroy hundreds of students' dreams…  
Tony punched the wall of his dorm room,  
His dreams damn it,  
He needed Julliard. The Academy was a start, a very, very good start. But, if he didn't get into this college, if he didn't win this scholarship, everything would have been a waste, his dreams would vanish. He would go back to his small, rural, impoverished, middle-of-nowhere village somewhere in Germany. His status as 1# heartthrob would disappear, and he'd be that boy again, That weird boy who thought himself too good to be regular farm boy.  
He'd go from that somebody,  
To that nobody.

2 weeks since Mr. Callahan's accident  
Cafeteria  
She was still in shock.  
The whole school was, really. Mr. Callahan was a known teacher, he was a respected teacher. He was a Language Arts teacher as well as the Drama director. Kids liked him, he ran an interesting class, not to mention that he let his kids bring in their iPods.  
They still haven't found a replacement, have they?  
Casella picked at her farfalle salad & sighed,  
Even if they did, it wouldn't be the same,  
The new director would have to revamp the whole system, start from scratch. Perhaps even go through more auditions, and create an entirely different performance.  
Not that it would have been such a sacrifice, Mr. Callahan didn't even have a script ready.  
Another sigh,  
Since the news of the accident, Tony seemed…glum.  
He sulked, he mused, he wasn't his usual teasing self. He even didn't pay much attention to Rose anymore, which, (though making Alanna extremely pleased) threw the raven-haired girl into confusion.  
'Whatever though, he'll sort it out.'

Rose was troubled. Tony was troubled. And Rose was troubled because Tony was troubled.  
Did he regret kissing me?  
She had heard about the Drama teacher's accident over the announcements & knew that Tony was a performer, and yet…  
I didn't think it would affect him so much.  
Maybe the kiss just wasn't good enough for him, & he wanted to avoid her. Rose felt her lips…  
But I didn't think it wasn't good enough…  
She wanted to cry.  
And yet,  
Yet…  
Maybe it was for the better that he wanted to get away.  
Maybe she should want to stay away too,.  
I mean, it's not like I'm scared of Alanna, or her threat, or anything like that,  
In fact, Rose was still pretty pissed off,  
But it's not really that smart to make enemies so quickly, or hang out with a kid that causes you to make enemies so quickly, especially when you're kinda new to the area, and don't have many friends.  
Any friends, besides Lilyanna.  
Speaking of Lilyanna, she was in the dorm room. Sick.  
Which meant Rose was sitting in the lunch room, at a lunch table. Alone.  
Sigh.  
Maybe it would be smart to get more friends.  
Rose looked around the cafeteria,  
There was Tony!  
There was Tony, all brooding and sulky looking and alone.  
Sure there was that awkward scenario that he wants to avoid me but, he's alone.  
It was tempting.  
Crap.  
Alanna was watching her from across the room.  
Maybe I should leave Tony alone for a while.  
Another sigh,  
I don't like to be alone.  
Someone suddenly caught her emerald eye.  
A girl with an obvious Chinese background, Lily Curimoto, had waved at her, gesturing to an empty seat in an otherwise crowded table. She gave a friendly smile. Rose breathed a sigh of relief.  
She smiled back shyly, and gave a tentative wave.

'Of all the times he could have gotten into an accident, it's now.'  
Rue was angry.  
'Bad enough that I'm stuck with Fakir, My instructor is pretty much useless. '  
She needed this chance, she needed that scholarship. Her reward for getting into that school was beyond anything else. It was her goal, it was her obsession…  
Those warm, golden eyes peering down at me. His smile, the nearness of his body as he twirls me in the air, gently setting me on the ground, Only when she asked him to dance with her did he soften towards her…..  
Roku was coming towards her, a smile on his lips, a milkshake in his hand.  
Rue sighed,  
His loving, blue-eyed gaze was just so different from those, those….  
Those empty, golden wonderful eyes.

Announcement

"Would Rue Kraehe & Tony Fakir report to the Main Office. Rue Kraehe, Tony Fakir, Office."  
Rue looked up, & met Tony's hazel eyes instantly. Strange, since they were on opposite sides of the cafeteria. They scowled at each other & stood up simultaneously.  
Roku gave his girlfriend a half-hearted smile, "Guess I'll see you later,"  
"Sure," she said absently, giving him a swift kiss.  
Rue headed toward the door, toward Tony.  
Roku looked on with a hard expression….

Outside the Main Office  
He held the door open stiffly, "After you, I guess."  
"Thankyou," a haughty nose to the air was Tony's reward…..  
A secretary was waiting. "Mr. Fakir, Miss Kraehe?"  
They nodded,  
"Meet the new Drama director, Mr. Marvel "  
A blonde man stepped forward, smiling warmly, "Hello!"  
They greeted him,

5 minutes later, walking down the hall toward the Drama classroom  
"So, you're the honorees,"  
They both nodded,  
"I'm sorry about what happened, but did he have anything started?"  
Rue sighed, 'No, nothing at all…."  
"So, I can do pretty much anything I want,.." Mr. Marvel mused,  
"I guess, " Tony shrugged, he really didn't care.  
"Well then, this is the classroom?", He ushered them in, "Sit, sit."  
The two students looked at each other, he seemed very familiarized with everything already,  
He caught their look, "Ok, it may seem weird, me coming here and barging in, but this is a wonderful opportunity for the both of you, and I care about that. I know that I'm no Mr. Callahan, & that you two had a very close relationship with him, but, he's not here."  
Rue sighed again,  
Tony shrugged again, "Ok,"  
The blonde man looked at both of them again, "Ok, down to business?"  
The trio sat at a conference table, 'Down to business,"  
"I've been reviewing recent Julliard Auditions & I have found a single recurring element in all of the finalists' routines…… Sex."  
Tony choked, "What?"  
Mr. Marvel chuckled, "Whether in a tango dance, a raunchy skit, crude innuendo dialogue, it's always there. That simple, slight hint of a delicate sort of sensuality laced thorough & through."  
"That's a bit distasteful, Mr. Marvel," Rue wrinkled her nose, 'Especially concerning Fakir...'  
"You want to win, don't you?", he raised an eyebrow  
His students' eyes widened, "Yes…"  
Mr. Marvel smiled, "Well, then.."  
His new students sighed…………  
Damn

A notice posted on the bulletin board of the main office, as well as throughout the entire school builing

Attention  
As one man so once wisely put it , "All the world's a stage, and all the people merely players. They have the entrances & their exits, & one man in his lifetime plays many parts,"  
Would you like to play a part on the world stage?  
Theatre tryouts will be held on October 2nd  
All are welcome, 28 spots are limited  
Dance, Acting, Singing,  
- NPM

***************  
Lily Curimoto was spazzing out  
Worried blue eyes met the emerald eyes of her newly made friend, Rose Minamino.  
"They're TOMORROW!"  
Rose sighed, "Yes, I told you three times already."  
"B-b-but…I'M NOT READY!"  
"You got through them once already, how hard should it be to get in again?"  
"Y-y-you don't understand!"  
"Argh, understand what!"  
Nicole Memoir, a tall, striking brunette who had been calmly watching her friends argue for some time, suddenly spoke up., sighing, "Don't mind her, Lily is always like this before an audition, even though she has never once been declined. She's just really anal."  
Lily's blue eyes widened furiously, and her cheeks reddened, "I am not!"  
Nicole rolled her dark eyes. She looked the other way when her eyes caught the sight of a certain teenager with ice blue eyes & ash-blonde hair. "Oh, look who it is, Jake Sargon,"  
Lily's cheeks grew inflamed, "So," she said quietly.  
Rose glanced from the tall boy, who was dribbling a soccer ball in the school hallway, to her Chinese friend.  
"You like him don't you?"  
"Shhh! Don't say it so loud. I don't like him, well, um, not re-"  
"Yeah, she does."  
Lily nudged Nicole in the ribs, 'Ok, fine I do. Since 7th grade. Sigh,"  
"Why don't you tell him?"  
"Tell him. What? Jake Sargon? The guy everybody would kill to have? You're crazy,"  
"Besides, Lily's a coward. She doesn't have the guts."  
"Really?"  
"I'm not. It's just that,"  
"Jake's sister's a bitch & won't let any girl near her brother."  
"Exactly"  
"Oh, why?"  
"She wants this girl Crystal, her, like, best friend to have him."  
"Crystal's hot.' A male's voice broke in ,  
The three girls, startled, turned around quickly.  
"Freddy, you jerk!"  
Freddy Krueger sighed,"Whatever,"  
"Crystal's a twit."  
"Whatever to that too."  
Rose took a step back, evaluating the scene. Lilyanna was still sick, flu, & Rose was glad she had other friends. She was avoiding Tony still. Even though, since she was auditioning tomorrow, she was probably going to see him again. Rose momentarily passed a hand over her lips. Lily Curimoto was a nice girl, even though she worried too much about everything. Nicole was interesting, she was blunt, if nothing else. And Freddy, Freddy was a weirdo. He reminded Rose of her 8 year old brother. She suspected that Freddy liked Lily, he was always glancing at her & teasing, and laughing. Like Tony did. Maybe it was because Lily & Freddy knew each other since at fateful day back when they were just 6 years old.  
Lily's mother owns the largest Toy company in China, in Asia really. A few years back, Freddy was on a school field trip with his kindergarten class. He fell in love with a toy, and, ditching his teacher, sat down and began playing with it. Someone else was in love with that toy, and the day ended with Freddy having a bloody nose & Lily playing happily with the toy. They were best friends ever since. Strange.  
"So, what do you think, Rose?"  
"Huh?"

October 2nd  
Nervousness,  
Anxiety,  
Heart pumping like there's no tomorrow,  
Did you screw up the lines?  
Wtf! Your voice just cracked,. You're doomed.  
Omg, she just totally got in, he's so good!  
The lights are too bright, your mouth is dry.  
You can't think, the lines are blurry, your voice trembles, The evaluater is watching you with emotionless eyes.  
He doesn't care about you at all. You didn't make it, your acting career is over.  
You feel like crying…..

*************  
October 3rd  
Mr. Marvel (NPM)  
'Well, the auditions are finally over. Here comes the hard part.'  
Flipping through papers, reading scribbled comments here, writing new notes there,  
'So many dreams, so many students'  
Over a hundred students showed up at the Drama auditions yesterday, Sigh  
'Too bad there's only 28 available spots…'  
Rue Kraehe? Tony Fakir?  
'Shoo-ins',  
Lily Curimoto?(yes) Diana Gardenia? Alex Haledon (no) ? Roku Kaiba(maybe), Alanna Bixen (eh,), Troy Schillenger? Daisy Serai, Lucy Robbins(yes), Rose Minamino, Harriet Delouse (NO!) , Lilyanna de la Camera, Robert Jones? Dovesary Balintang (promising) ? Jake Sargon? Belinda Sargon?Ray Christian? Max Kuronue?  
Katie Patel? Saraguni Deseria? Delaney Washington (perhaps) ? The other tens of kids trying to realize their goals of acting on stage?  
'Only 26 spaces left….'  
Who was good? Who was definitely bad? Who had potential? Who choked? Who just sucked?  
Was she as good as I think she was? Was he better? How about if it was a tie between this one & that? I don't know these kids, maybe that kid was just a bit shy. But then, does he deserve to be on stage? What happens when you're down to the last 15 choices? The last 10? The last 2? How to choose among hundreds?  
Mr. Marvel sank his blonde head to the desk, feeling a migraine coming on….  
It was just so hard to choose


End file.
